Aerial photo taken on July 5, 2018 shows the scenery of the Erhai Lake in Dali, southwest China's Yunnan Province.(Xinhua/Hu Chao)

Authorities have invested heavily in a protection and restoration project for nine plateau lakes in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The investment totaled 67.7 billion yuan (9.6 billion U.S. dollars), according to Wu Xuerong, with the provincial reform and development commission.

The project will deal with areas such as water pollution, wetlands, public relocation and resource recycling, Wu said.

The project will be completed by 2025.